Honestly. Just glad I woke up. And glad, maybe for the first time ever, that I'm a light sleeper.

The smoke smell in my room was really strong - I thought it was from the Diwali festivities outside. Diwali isn't huge in West Bengal. I think they celebrate it more in Delhi, maybe Mumbai as well? I'm not sure. Here, Durga Puja is everything. But I found that in India, given the chance, they will celebrate anything. Which, personally, I am in favor of. Especially Diwali. The festival of lights. And we lit candles in the courtyard, and outside the people lit fireworks in the street. And I think Rama found his lovely way home.

And so I thought that the smoke had crept into my room to wake me up at 3:30 this morning. But it wasn't Diwali smoke. My windows were all closed. Then I looked up. And realized that my ceiling fan had sparked into flames sometime in the night and the flames were growing bigger and climbing towards the ceiling.

I jumped out of bed. What do I do what do I do? (I'm very good in crisis. By the way. I think maybe I would survive a zombie attack. If it weren't for my poor health) I had a bucket of water in my room (the remains of good intentions of mopping the floor that hadn't been actualized) - but it's an electrical fire, you don't throw water on it. What do I do? I ran down the five flights of stairs and two hallways to where the men sleep by the front gate. They were fast asleep on their cot. I shook the one closest to me, "wake up. please wake up. help me. FIRE. please help!" The first man didn't move at all, but the second man, when he heard fire jumped up and raced after me up the stairs.

He grabbed the bucket and threw it on the fan.

Which seemed to work. And made me feel stupid. But what are you supposed to do with electrical fires? Not water, right? Anyways, it worked, but my room was full of the most horrible smoke ever. He cut my fan down, remade my bed for me and said, "well, goodnight, then." and off he went. But today when I saw him he touched his heart and wiped his forehead with a sigh of relief. Which made me feel solidarity with him. Our secret firefighting club.

And Felicity kicked the cat out and let me sleep on her extra bed because the smoke was too thick in my room to sleep. And I lay and tried so hard not to wiggle and wake her up, which was so difficult because I so love to wiggle.

This morning Carmel, who lives on the first floor, told me she had heard me shout fire last night, and worried, had followed us up the first couple flights of stairs, but then got tired and turned around and went back to bed. Which made me laugh (she is so sick now. Everyone is so sick. Everyday I hear about people fainting and hospital trips and vomit. oh the vomit. everyone is sick. oh india.)

And I think it's silly of the fire trying to kill me. Because I haven't been to Darjeeling yet. And come virus, fire, hell or high water, I'm going to Darjeeling. Dammit. To look at the goddamn Himalayas. Dammit.